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 To increase the yeild, the soil can beenriched by supplyingthesenutrients in the

form of manure and fertilisers.

MANURE

 Manures are natural fertilizers. They are bulky sources of organic matter which
supply nutrients in small quantities but organic matter in large quantities.

 Manures are prepared by the decomposition of animal excreta and plant waste.
Manures include farmyard manure (FYM), compost, green manure etc.

Functions or advantages of manure:

1. Manure helps in enriching soil with nutrients and organic matter and increasing
soil fertility.

2. The bulk of organic matter in manure helps in improving the soil structure. This

involves increasing the water holding capacity in sandy soil.
3. Manures provide food to soil organisms (like bacteria, fungi, etc.) which help in

making nutrient available to plants.
4. In using manure, we use biological waste material, which is advantageous in

protecting our environment from excessive use of fertilizers.

5. Manures contain substances which act as stimulants for seed germination and
plant growth.

Types of manures:

Based on the kind of biological waste material used, the manures are classified as:

Compost: It is a mixture of decomposed organic matter derived from garbage, sewage,
vegetable waste etc. The mixture is decomposed in pits and the process is known as

composting.

Vermicompost: The degradation of organic waste through the consumption by the
earthworms is called vermicomposting.

Compost Vermicompost

A manure prepared from waste materials A manure that is prepared by using
such as cow dung, sewage, vegetable Earthworms
wastes and domestic waste